In March 1986 during Freedom of Navigation exercises in the Gulf of Sidra, the squadron’s aircraft flew Combat Air Patrols during which a LibyanSA-5 Gammon missile was fired against an American aircraft operating in international waters. On 14–15 April 1986, squadron aircraft participated in Operation El Dorado Canyon, along with other units of CVW-13 and A-7s from CVW-1, providing air-to-surface Shrike and HARM strikes against Libyan surface-to-air missile sites at Benghazi. This was the first use of the F/A-18 in combat.[1]

From 15 October 1987 to 12 Apr 1988 the squadron joined Carrier Air Wing Thirteen (CVW-13) and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard USS Coral Sea

In August 1990 while embarked on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, squadron F/A-18s flew missions in the Red Sea in support of Operation Desert Shield, the build-up of American and Allied forces to counter a threatened invasion of Saudi Arabia by Iraq and as part of an economic blockade of Iraq to force its withdrawal from Kuwait. The Eisenhower task force was the first U.S. force in position to deter Iraqi incursion into Saudi Arabia.[1]

Upon return from deployment in September 1990, the squadron transitioned to F/A-18C Lot XIII Night Strike Hornets.[1] One year later, the squadron again deployed aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Red Sea and North Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.

In April 1996 the squadron once again deployed aboard USS George Washington to the Mediterranean, Adriatic Sea, and the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor and Operation Southern Watch. In February 1998, the squadron deployed for the "Around the World", maiden deployment of USS John C. Stennis, again supporting Operation Southern Watch in Iraq. Upon return to the United States in December 1998, they relocated from NAS Cecil Field, Florida, to NAS Oceana, Virginia.